Biography

Christie West is a Pacific Northwest painter whose work explores color, gesture and the immediacy of the painted surface. Working primarily in acrylic and mixed media, she creates expressive, layered compositions that suggest movement, atmosphere and shifting emotional states. Her work often bridges abstraction and representation, allowing familiar forms to emerge through energetic mark making.

West has exhibited throughout the region, and her work is included in private collections across the country. She brings a background in both art and design to her practice, creating paintings that balance intuition with compositional clarity. Her work is recognized for its vibrant palette, dynamic surfaces and strong sense of presence.

Artist Statement

Painting is an exploration of energy, emotion and the experience of being present in a moment. I work intuitively, responding to color, movement and the evolving surface of the painting. Layers of marks and gestures build on one another, creating a record of decision, hesitation and discovery.

Although my work often begins with a reference to the natural world, it shifts quickly into abstraction. I am interested in the tension between control and spontaneity, structure and improvisation. My aim is to create paintings that feel alive, offering a sense of movement and atmosphere that invites the viewer to linger. Each piece is both an internal landscape and an experiment in possibility.